Israel is not just quickly dismissing the importance of the Diaspora Ministry, but also the people and purpose that it is there to look out for, namely Diaspora Jewry.
The new budget includes an addition of some NIS 30 billion with NIS 17b. intended for the Defense Ministry and the war efforts.
An additional 28.9 billion shekels has been allocated for 2023 to cover rising war-related expenses
Since October 7, the Mossad has been deployed throughout the world to an unprecedented degree, and possibly with higher investment in diverse capabilities than ever before.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attacked the opposition and even employees of his ministry, calling the latter antisemitic, due to opposing the funds for settlements.
The economy minister didn't attend the first reading of the bill in Knesset so that he wouldn't have to vote against it because he said the original version was massively damaging to Israel's economy.
While the original coalition funds in the state budget were cut down for the amended budget, they still include billions of shekels.
Likud MK Eliyahu Revivo said that if he were prime minister, he would fire Nir Barkat for his refusal to attend the vote.
INSIDE POLITICS: The Netanyahu government's wartime budget amid the freeing of hostages shows that while Israel is united in grief, fear, and sorrow, the coalition still looks out only for itself.
The five National Unity ministers in the cabinet opposed the amended budget because it still included allocation of coalition funds for uses not related to the war.
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